Tyson Foods Reaches $48M Settlement in Pork Price-Fixing Lawsuit

The settlement is part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit involving multiple protein companies.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 6:31pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tyson Foods Inc. has agreed to a preliminary $48 million settlement with commercial and industrial pork purchasers in a class-action lawsuit over allegations of pork price-fixing from 2009 to 2018. The settlement is part of a larger ongoing lawsuit involving multiple meat producers and follows previous settlements by Tyson in both pork and beef price-fixing cases.

Why it matters

The pork price-fixing lawsuit alleges that Tyson and other major meat producers conspired to constrain supply and inflate prices through the use of a data-sharing service called Agri Stats. This settlement is the latest development in a broader reckoning for the meat industry over anti-competitive practices that have impacted food costs for businesses and consumers.

The details

Under the proposed settlement, the $48 million will be available to the certified classes of commercial and industrial pork purchasers who bought pork products for their own use. Attorneys for the plaintiffs say the agreement represents an excellent result, as the funds will be available sooner than if the case went to trial. The lawsuit was filed in 2018 without a formal antitrust investigation by the Department of Justice, which is unusual for such cases.

  • The alleged price-fixing conspiracy took place from 2009 to the filing of the lawsuit in 2018.
  • Tyson Foods reached a $85 million settlement with consumers in the same class-action lawsuit in October 2025.
  • Tyson also settled a beef price-fixing case for $82.5 million with purchasers in January 2026 and $55 million with consumers in October 2025.

The players

Tyson Foods Inc.

One of the largest meat processing companies in the United States, which has been accused of participating in price-fixing conspiracies in both the pork and beef industries.

Agri Stats

A protein data company that allegedly allowed Tyson and other meat producers to exchange detailed, competitively sensitive information about prices, capacity, sales volume and demand.

JBS Foods

A major meat processing company that was also named as a defendant in the pork price-fixing lawsuit.

Smithfield Foods

Another major pork producer that was a defendant in the class-action lawsuit.

Seaboard Foods

A pork producer that was also named as a defendant in the price-fixing case.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The settlement agreement still requires judicial approval before the $48 million can be distributed to the certified classes of commercial and industrial pork purchasers.

The takeaway

This settlement is the latest development in an ongoing reckoning for the meat industry over alleged anti-competitive practices that have driven up costs for businesses and consumers. The use of data-sharing services like Agri Stats has come under scrutiny, highlighting the need for greater transparency and oversight in the highly consolidated protein markets.